Chapter 18 Towards his room
Celine’s POV
I must have lost grip on myself, but it wasn't like I was going to do some crazy thing to myself. It was simply an urge that pushed me out of Lila's room and made me shut her out.
But it was strange that I didn't know where this urge was leading me. Tristan's room was not the destination — it was a means.
And I should know it, and the urge kept ringing loud bells in my head I dared not disobey.
“These patterns… I should see them.” My lips kept moving.
I didn't stop for a second to think of how I was supposed to go into Tristan's room. My last time going to his room must have been planned by him, but this time, he had no hand in it. But I must go.
The gammas might be walking all around. But I didn't think so. I couldn't think.
Lila would be upset. But she would have stopped this if she wasn't gatekeeping important information that concerned me.
“I should compare the patterns in his room… a connection must exist…”
After three more steps, I felt another hand grip me from behind. “Celine.”
I stopped, turning back to see who it was. “Mira.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Alpha Tristan mindlinked our head, and I had to put up an act just to make you feel comfortable.”
Apologizing for what exactly?
She thought I was offended?
I was mostly curious about the change in attitude, and that was all about it. I didn't know her. She didn't know me, so no one was obliged to any kind of friendship or an obligation to say “hi” to the other.
“No need for this,” I said, already pulling my hand from hers. “I have to go.”
“I will get to your room sometime.”
I had left her, each step I took was similar to a fast run from an enemy ready to attack me. I barely heard her speak.
I got to a point where I took a turn to my left, and boom, gammas were walking past. My feet froze in place, stuck to the ground as my heart pounded loud enough for my ears to hear. They shouldn't see me. They shouldn't catch a glimpse of me. Not at this point.
I would have failed to catch sight of them as the darkness was subtly stealing the last part of the day, covering them with the help of their black coats sewn to reach their knees, tied around with a black belt.
This was another evening. They only went out in the evenings, explaining why they were absent during the day. But Lila had definitely made them leave on the night I attempted an escape.
“Hey, you should go to the human’s room, now.” One of the gammas who was closest to the side of the wall I was hiding near gave this instruction to those walking behind him.
And from his voice, I got a glimpse of how serious he was.
“Go to her room.” He raised his voice even more.
My breath hitched.
This was when it occurred to me—I shouldn't have come out by this time, not at this busy hour when every eye was watching out for me.
The gamma who’d given the instruction took two steps closer to me. If only he turned to his right side, he would have seen me.
And also… my scent. That could sell me out to him.
I seized my breath, took the sandals I’d been wearing off. Werewolves could hear better than humans, I supposed, and I was taking no chances. I walked backward to the other side, toward the kitchen area.
“Mira.” I whispered.
She was holding a mop and a bucket. She spilled water, startled by me.
“I need to change.”
I made her stay off to a side where we could barely be seen.
“What?”
“I need to change, please quick…”
“Change? Why?”
She was confused. Of course that didn't make any sense to her.
“I need your dress.”
My fingers took hold of the hem of her pinafore dress, loosening the buttons, unhooking them.
“Wait, let’s use that room.” She pointed at a door.
“Fine.”
Inside the room, she started taking off her dress, her eyebrows furrowed at me. She didn't make any other effort to ask, but I guessed she already had an idea.
“It isn't safe to try to escape,” she said.
No, I was wrong. She didn't have an idea. No one would, except Lila.
“I'm not escaping.”
When I'd put on the white dress and the brown pinafore on top, I sprayed the air freshener on myself, hoping that would help mask my scent — at least to an extent.
“It wouldn't,” she said.
“Then you have something else?”
“Use the soap instead.”
I didn't ask further. I poured the liquid soap on my hair and rubbed it on the pinafore dress.
I thought I was all set.
“You shouldn't do this.” She came again, shaking her head.
“Let this be your apology. I need to leave now.”
More and more gammas were still walking past when I got out of the room. The one who’d come so close to seeing me had left, but they all had the same focus, didn't they?
I bowed my head, walking past them, but with controlled breathing.
I was closer to Tristan's room. I could see his room door.
“Celine.” I heard his voice from behind me.
My heart skipped.
A cold chill crept up my spine.
“Celine… Where are you going?”